New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-20

laden with perfume from the crimson ana whitc
trees dropped under the weight of their golden and
scarlet balls. Now and then ROme night-bird
swung out from tho iage for moment. ana,
lowering for second above their heads, would
vanish once more into the tan2e OF rich vegeta'
ton. Not a breath of wind stirred the air. ana
deep silence pervaded the plain. which was broken
only by the plain.ive tones OF the negresss voice
The stars rined their silver light In clear mellow
flow over the scene. and every Object was as ais
tDot as if it had been dav. Neither the woman
nor the girl noted how tho time passed. rs led ono
by terrible fear. and the other by strange, all
powerful nfuenco-they hurried along in the SILVER
light to the CHI Ids distant grave |. was probably
half an hour since they had left the house. when
at last they drew near the spot where Florian was
buried. Overw hsmed by fresh burst OF grlei,
Adele hurried forward but only to stop short Win
an exclamation of horror when few feet from the
grave 1t was open the clay was flung III heap
on one side, aud the flowers and wreatls when ire
mourners had scattered upon ii but u few hours
before lay crushed and torn some distance OIL
glance into the grave showed that the ~ OF the
empty The chiid's body was gone, and no
answer responded to the girls wild cry rs sue
Tool ei hcpessly from the open grave to the neigh
boring hills. fastening to her SIDE Ceciie once
more iiurod her with tears not to remain
moment longer on the desecrated spot. but Totu'n
that instant to her home. But with a gesture OF
impatenco Adele 6u st from the negresss restrain
ing hanl. and. Rlau cling again at tine open grave
wept bitterly for u few minntesi then suddenly
checking her tears. she stood in an attentive
attitude fDr moment, as if listening To some
sound In a second more, as II in answer to some
summons, she Ian toward bride path that len
M the mountain side. The noyress instantly
followed, but tho girls motion was so rapid that IN
tho winnings Of tho path she was now and then
hidden from her view Presently they entered
wood OF pines and mahogany trees, and III tho
gloom in which the way was soon enveloped she
conld only guess where Adele was bv the occasional
heard tho heavy tread of animal breaking
through the undergr0wth, aud caught glimpse oil
pair Of white horns, or the shaggy head ara
shoulders OF one of the W id cattle which roam
throu I'll these mountain forests. But, scarcely
conscious Of these lesser silhts and sounds she
continued 70 gaze wistfullv through tbs gloom for
Adee's figure, listening for, yet dreddng Leaf she
should hear, other better known but more drcadsl
movements A CLEAN of light ahead presently
broke in on tho darkness, ana the path passed tom
the wood into the full beams oi moon and stars:
lac girl had already reached one OF the patears OF
this mountain range, which was lying steepeh IN
the silver tide Of light All In moment the sound
Df voices, mingled with wild cries, came sweeping
down on the night air. and among the shadows cast
by some mango treos q few yards distant grotesque
figures leapt and danced, lnging their limbs about
in frantic Attitudes. With cry of fear Ceclie
made desperate cdOrt to gain her MISTRESS side,
rs Adele, amazed AMI frightened at the strange
spectacle paused on the verge of the plateau. Bat
before she could reach the top OF the ACTIVITY tho
dancing, grazing crowd had drawn IN It's mad
circles nearer anl nearer to tho girl and "a the
ncgress sank terrified on the grass, the former was
suddenly caueh IN 10, vortex and dragged into the
wild dance. II ideous yells smotc on Adcles ear,
while her hands were graSped by some OF the
Gro yd eyes. wild aud fierce, glarrl at her, and
black repulsive faces hemmcl her in on every side
She Looked desparingly around for hor guide, but
the form whose silent motions she had obeyed, anu
whom she had taken for Francois but which
perhaps her excited Imagination had con lurcd up,
had disappeared; and not one friendly face met
her eye among the savagcs by whom she was
surrounded Half stunned bv the sights aud
sounds. and 10y the rapid movement in which she
was forced to Join, she swept on TOW ard tho
grove of man.Ocs, where some more of the blacks
were dancing ronnd hut. AS tho party whlrled
up curtain before the hut was raised and negro
issued forth, wearing blue grdle about his wait
ant red handkerchief bound round his forehead.
In an n,tan: tie wild gyraions ceased aud the
crowd was silent. as. raising his hanl, no spoke:
Z" |. the Papaoi. thefetlchman of the Van loux.
The sacred serpent, Will listen to my children
What do they wanti'
A voice harsh and shrill. from the crowd cried.
The Papaloi replied You have had it. We have
slain the white cock. The sacred serpent will sivo
But" cried tho voice again. 40 Papaloi.
remember that this is no time for little feast.
We go fight the whites! We 20 10 join Ogc
What more |"
aThc goat without horns" IA human sacrificed
Then as If all he'll had broken loose. hdeous
yells rang through the air; the negroes leapel and
shrieked hundred dlscoriant voices repeated
the petition.
The Vaudoux grants your PRAYER" cried the
priest, and tearing down the curtain before tho
hnt pointed TO the interior. A large wooden eox.
ntlining the sacred serpent stood in the centre
upon which was bound tho naked form OF white
child.
crowd. and. rushing past the priest. knclt beside
the BODY. Ycls and fierce ordinations. even
more repulsive than before. followed her movement
but for a minute she scarcely heard them. a. cry
OF Joy came from the child whom sle hal believed
dead "Oh. Adele take mo aw from the fombs.
no wcpt Her agonizng cry of mingled fear and hope
was drowned in tho mad yclS of the negroes. who
rushrd forward eager for their hidoous cannihai
feast TO begin. The priest waved them back, and
holding rp in one hand KNIFE. and In the other a
stone axe which the child had so violently taken
from Francois and the recovery of which had cost
tho slave his life he screamed forth, his eyes
rolling wildly in their sockets. The NhudOuX has
given YOU two gifts Yoar feast shall be sweet to-
night"
lie sprang toward brother and sister as he
spoke his knife cleaning above the boys head:
Jrsu hear. save" cried the girl, ilinging herself
ncro.s the child. xii me, wretchod ave not
him. But two powerful mulattoes caught her
hands and dragged her savaecly aside ara IN
moment more she saw the knife fall, aud heard the
burst of forocious JOY which drowned her brothers
cry. Then tho human devils pressed mp; shricks
and rawlings from the neither pit rang In her ears
With helish glare In his eyes and hideous threats
dropping from his boodstained lips tho priest
turned his knife toward her heart But Mt that
moment up the mountain side came tho rush OF
feet aud, hurryng from the bride path, 6reaIHng
from the shadows among the trees Withholding
armed men entered Ito plateau and mingled with
the crowd. Then murmur like the low rushing OF
wind passed through tho irntic slaves. when
swelled almost instantly into loud cries of fear,
Ogc's men had been defeated by tho cooni.ts an',
were now flying for their lives. The Papalo ana
the negroes who had come to attend the odiou'
feast Joined in the panic and, escaping from tho
grove left the victims Of the Vaudoux lying III tho
hut Cecile who had hidden among tho shrubs
when her mistress was swept into the dance. ciept
out from her shelter when the last of the votarles
had disappeared, md with trembling steps
approached the brother and sister. deep wound
In III. boys breast told her that the priests KNIFE
had e0ectually done its work, while a glance at
Adele's face showed that life there. too. was
extinct The body was untouched, but horror had
done what the sayages hand had. by the arrival oil
tho defeated insurgents, been Gvcnted nom
accomplishing. Grooming forth u dirge IN the
language Of her tribe. tho negress cronched beside
the bodies till the glorious tropical morning eroke
upon the scene and tho 81 ash of tho arms ot tue
victorious whites was hcarl. as they asccndel the
Innnntaln nalh To tho plateau The GentleDans